I hate Four Corner Charts.  They aren’t a useful method of maintaining my priorities or of communicating my critical activities.  I find them to be a soul sucking creation that breaks each of the knuckles on my right hand before lobotomizing me in huge crushing MS Powerpoint jaws.

I also hate MultiTasking.  It isn’t a more efficient way to get stuff done, no matter how many times the Quality Improvement Guru says so.

Just in case you haven’t heard these terms before, let me explain.  Basically, a Four Corner Chart is four charts squished onto one MS Powerpoint chart in an effort to see ALL the priorities, goals, risks, emergencies, etc. related to one project or program at once.  So instead of having to look at four charts (in regular size font), with a Four Corner Chart you only have to look at one MS Powerpoint slide (with tiny fonts and magnifying glasses), thereby “reducing” the time it takes to review a project’s status.  You might also know Four Corner Charts as a Dashboard or Four Status Pillars.  (If you’ve fallen asleep because this chart sounds boring as hell, or you are cringing from my unabashed sarcasm, I certainly don’t blame you).

MultiTasking is when one person commits to doing multiple critical tasks at the same time.

Both sound good in theory, and although I have personally MultiTasked projects while creating hundreds of Four Corner Charts, I never once believed they were the great and mighty Productivity Tools that everyone in upper management praised them to be.  In fact, I think most managers secretly hated them as much as I did.  But everyone keeps asking for them.  So, everyone still uses them, hoping they will work more efficiently & effectively communicate what their project team is really getting done on a day to day basis.

Reorganizing can be a wonderful method for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization. ~Petronius Arbiter

First, the big problem with Four Corner Charts is… well, let me illustrate it with a Four Corner Chart:

Is this easy to understand? Does is communicates my important points immediately?  Could you easily share with the little to no explanation? Is it esthetically pleasing? Hell, can you read it without squinting?

As a comparison, here is the same information from the above Four Corner Chart in a format that doesn’t require you to MultiTask in order to read my main points:

Four Corner Charts Suck because they:

• Shift focus away from the #1 project priority – ie four todo lists with four #1 priorities instead of all priorities listed in order
• Encourage MultiTasking instead of efficiency – see 123/ABC test* below for more details
• Can create the illusion of a balanced team by spreading out the todo list without actually spreading the responsibilities
• Can be difficult to read due to small fonts

Four Corner Charts are a great way to confuse our peers, team mates, and possibly even ourselves into believing we can actually deal with more than one priority at a time.

But guess what–> You can’t! I can’t! Even your boss can’t!  It’s pretty much impossible.  And worse, forcing us to MultiTask like this actually slows down productivity.  It takes a human more time to unnecessarily switch between tasks than it does to complete one task, and then another, and then another. Prove it to yourself using the 123/ABC test.

*123/ABC Test* or Why MultiTasking Sucks Too

1. Get a sheet of paper, a pen, and a timer.
2. Designate one side of paper for the alphabet and one side for numbers.
3. Start the timer
4. Write 3 letters (ABC) on one side, turn the paper over and write 3 numbers (123)
5. Flip the paper back over and write the next 3 letters (EFG). Then turn it over and write the next 3 numbers (456)
6. Repeat the process until you have reached the letter Z and the number 26
7. Stop the timer & record your MultiTasking time
8. Start the timer
9. Write the entire alphabet on one side of the paper (called Batching)
10. Write the numbers 1-26 on the other side of the paper
11. Stop the timer & record your Batching time

Which one took longer, MultiTasking or Batching?  Are you really surprised?

Okay, but what do you do now?  Your boss asked you for a Four Corner Chart even though they suck.

• First, ask your boss what information she really wants.  Priorities? Risks? Problems? (I doubt she wants the Four Corner Chart format more than the information)
• Then ask her if you can use a format other than the Four Corner Chart.  (This is a perfect time to explain why you have found them to be inefficient and provide an alternative that doesn’t require MultiTasking and makes more sense for both of you)
• Then give her exactly the information she asked for in the most effective communication format for your team.  (maybe she just wants a daily list of your team’s priorities including what got done, what didn’t get done, and why)

You may soon discover that focusing on your #1 priority and providing the exact information your boss wants instead of MultiTasking and forcing the use of a Four Corner Chart will actually reduce confusion and stop the needless lobotomies instantly.  Personally, after 8 years of Four Corner Charts, I’m just happy to have both of my frontal lobes intact.

“NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise…surprise and fear…fear and surprise…. Our two weapons are fear and surprise…and ruthless efficiency…. Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency…and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope…. Our *four*…no… *Amongst* our weapons…. Amongst our weaponry…are such elements as fear, surprise…. I’ll come in again.”  ~Monty Python

BREAK

Why do you love or hate Four Corner Charts? What other MultiTasking Tools drive you crazy? Share your ideas in the comment section!

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